Why Not?
by Narukokun
Summary: It's no well kept secret about the life of the famous Leonardo Da Vinci. Italia's most well known bachelor and why? A man who can paint, design, build...a man that good should be taken already. So why not? Rated M for later chapters. EzioxLeonardo
1. Chapter 1

Why Not?

Leonardo blinked away the inevitable sleep that taunted him as he finished up a sketch of the assassin asleep on his own bed. Quietly, he put away the artistic devices and set down the canvas. He needed his rest as well but could not bring himself to disturb the assassin. He would settle for a chair tonight.

Early in the morning, Leonardo awoke to silence. Ezio was still sleeping, unusual for one who much always be so alert. The night before Ezio had come into the workshop, clutching a wound on his chest, breathing heavily. Leonardo had been quick to patch it to the best of his ability, while holding back crimson at the touch of the young man`s toned body. With the armour and cloak removed, Ezio was a prize to be won in male physic and something that Leonardo had desired since the regular visits that beget their friendship. Now, as Ezio lay on the engineer's bed, he could not help but to stare lovingly at him, wishing that the assassin could be his.

A smile curls on Leonardo's face as his lust conquers his conscience. Slowly, he makes his way over to the sleeping creature and allows himself a better view of the rarely seen side of this killer.

"Bella..." The words were hushed but it was enough to stir the assassin to consciousness. At the first slightest movement, Leonardo became startled and fell back to collide with the floor.

"Leonardo, are you alright?" Ezio became alert at the sound of his friend, worrying about him as per usual. Where would he be without the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci?

Flustered, Leonardo gave a small nod, a tint of pink appearing on his cheeks. Getting up from the floor and dusting himself off, Leonardo began to prepare for the coming daylight.

"Did you sleep alright Ezio? How is your wound?" Leonardo spoke to Ezio while preparing the caffe that instantly wake him up after the few short hours of sleep.

"Better now, thank you for your hospitality Leonardo. How can I thank you for this?" Ezio did not want to own anything more to the great inventor after everything he already had done for him.

"Think nothing of it Ezio. As long as you are safe and well..." Leonardo trailed off. There was something Ezio could do for him, but Leonardo could never breathe a word of his blasphemy to Ezio. Leonardo longed for Ezio. He longed for his touch and his gentleness and his body. He shivered with pleasure when the man even said his name. Alas it was a hopeless unrequited love. Leonardo was no fool. He knew of Ezio ways with women, and Rosa was certainly more attractive to Ezio then Leonardo would ever be.

Ezio stood up and stretched his arms up high above his head. His wound wasn't as deep as he thought and he heal quickly though the pain that was left was only minor. Leonardo eyed him from afar, wishing he could hold that frame tightly.

"Caffe?" Leonardo queried.

"No. I'm sorry mi amico, I must be off..." Not more than a few minutes after waking up, Ezio was out the door, lost to Venezia. Leonardo instantly became sullen. Ezio's visits were not as frequent as he would have liked and no mathematical equation could predict when he would show up next.

With a low sigh, Leonardo drank his caffe and pulled out a piece of parchment. From memory, the artist brought Ezio to life on the paper. His muscles large and toned, the key features of his perfect face, Leonardo knew them all by heart.

Drawing what his lustful being desired made him content, but Leonardo could not help but feel depressed and lonely. He had felt like their mild friendship had grown over the years into something different then what normal friends held.

If that was so then...why not?


	2. Chapter 2

Reviews AND/OR critiques are appreciated. Please let me know what you think. -Author

Why Not? Chapter 2

Ezio, perched upon a rooftop, sat glaring at his next target. Lorenzo had sent word that a group of guards in Venezia were working with men in Firenze that were conspiring against him. They needed to be taken down.

Tracking one of the group members down was easy enough but Ezio was beginning to tire after following the target for well over an hour. His suspicion had risen over the length of time and thoughts of a trap seemed logical, yet something was tugging in the back of Ezio's mind.

Leonardo. Ezio had simply woken up and left without even a goodbye. This may not have bothered him so much a while ago but lately the artist had been of more help than his original role of translator deemed him so. Ezio couldn't help but feel that Leonardo was not receiving the proper thanks that he deserved.

While contemplating his woes, Ezio's mind had slipped from the task at hand and the target was steadily moving on. Thankfully, he had reached the hideout were the inevitable meeting of the conspirators was taking place.

Five guards, all heavily armored, gathered in the crowned courtyard of a guarded villa. Two archers circled around the perimeter of the rooftops and citizens clamored in the streets below. Flying between buildings, Ezio grasped the ledge of the villa close to one archer. When the bowman drew near, Ezio stabbed him with his hidden blade and threw him over board. This caused panic in the alley below, scattering people like ants and distracting others. Ezio took this chance to climb on the roof of the villa, out of site of the other archer, then dropping down to a balcony directly above the grouping snakes. Without wasting a moment, Ezio threw down two piercing blades, striking two in the throat. Jumping from the balcony, Ezio crashed down upon another two, using the hidden blade once again to impale two others in the chest. The last guard, the leader, panicked. His troops that fallen in a matter of seconds. The guard knew of the Assassin standing before him, but before he was able to scream for help, he was no more.

Ezio's mission almost complete, he looted the bodies for the documents Lorenzo had mentioned in his letter. He pockets them, skilfully climbs the wall of the garden and bounds through the skies to the Rialto Bridge.

After sending the secret scriptures to Lorenzo, Ezio notices another note from him. Opening it, expecting another contract, Ezio is surprised to find Lorenzo had gifted him with time off.

Ezio had always found himself chasing someone, traveling somewhere doing something. This was a long forgotten skill Ezio would need to work on (slacking off). What would he do and more importantly, where would he stay? He could go to Monteriggioni for the time being, but he needed to stay in Venezia when Lorenzo needed him back. The option of staying with Leonardo was something he had considered but Ezio had put Leonardo in danger enough as it was. Ezio owed Leonardo much for his kindness and hospitality and he could not bring himself to burden his good friend further for an indeterminate amount of time. This leaving his only option to be the thieves' guild. Ezio had friends there and was a welcome member, so surely Antonio would welcome him as a guest for a while. The view of Rosa wasn't something he would get tired of either.

Leonardo had no idea how close he was to having Ezio all to himself.

* * *

Leonardo had spent most of the day painting. He had gotten a request from a rich and important man in Venezia and delivering this work of art on time became necessary to increasing his social standing. When the public got wind of even a hint of a rumour, it spread like wild fire all across the city and beyond. Leonardo was not in the best of stand currently. He needed to produce something other than assassination tools before the rumours began about him again. Wasn't it enough that everyone has suspected him of his sexuality? Anything else and the topic would surely shift to his assistance to the great assassin that was terrorizing Italia's florin jacketed leaders (and so-called evil doers) and their relationship in bed.

Leonardo did not ever mean to procrastinate. His attention was easily grabbing onto anything and everything that would provide him with a ledge to grasp, taking him away from work to something he enjoyed. Transfusing his thoughts to a canvas, studying the human body through corpses or constructing flying machines. All of these brought joy to Leonardo, but out of all of them, Ezio Auditore da Firenze was his most enjoyed distraction.

The amount of artwork Leonardo had of Ezio was immense. The man was gorgeous and Leonardo's fingers trembled to sketch whenever the assassin visited. Ezio knew nothing of the drawings and it would stay that way. Leonardo would not allow anyone to know of his secret passion.

By now it was noon and Leonardo began to bore of the tasteless piece that sat before him.

'_Perhaps I shall visit Antonio...'_Leonardo thought to himself, as he dropped his brushes in a bowl of water and went for the door.

The city was alive at midday. Merchants were displaying their wares in the streets and in their small homely shops. A doctor, clad in black robes and standard long beaked mask, could be seen healing a few mercenaries. A group of courtesans waved and cooed feverishly at Leonardo, then giggled wildly as he blushed and smiled back. Leonardo was not used to being flirted with. It was a field of knowledge he had yet to roam. (Mapping its rolling hills and valleys was a project he was beginning to become interested in). He had blushed out of embarrassment. Leonardo had never found himself attracted to women. They were so fickle about everything and difficult to deal with when upset. He had discovered that he preferred men for many reasons. Powerful, strong builds. Passionate (especially some men from Italia) courageous and respectable. They were much more appealing to Leonardo; the male form was gorgeous.

Steadily making his way to the thieves' guild, Leonardo noticed a familiar form. In a group ahead of him, a white hood bobbed up and down in the surf of the crowd. Leonardo knew better then to call out assassin in the middle of the streets, especially one he was associated with. And were Ezio to be currently engaged in a mission, Leonardo didn't want to jeopardize it with small talk.

Leonardo continued on his way until it occurred to him some few minutes later that the white mound still floated around his field of vision. He thought to himself that maybe, just maybe, Ezio was traveling to the thieves' guild for a visit as well. If that was the case then maybe he would see Ezio there.

A couple minutes later, Leonardo walked into the Palazzo Della Seta and up the stairs to Antonio's office.

"Leonardo! So good to see you!" The infamous thief, Antonio de Magianis strolled casually up to Leonardo and the two exchanged hands.

"Where have you been my friend? It has been much too long since we last met for caffe and conversed." Leonardo and Antonio used to meet regularly to catch up. It had become a sort of ritual meeting of seeing each other every so often to discuss the things about their lives that Leonardo normally had no one to share with, or could not share with Ezio. Leonardo was grateful to have a cultured man like Antonio as a friend. (It was not like Ezio wasn't cultured. He was just far too busy getting beat up or assassinating people to sit down and have a quiet chat. He was a bit brutish, but Leonardo did not mind). Leonardo had wondered at one point if his relationship with Antonio had harboured any feelings of attraction. Antonio was a handsome man, skilled in many fields, sly as a fox and certainly not out of Leonardo's range. However after the years they had known each other, and their current relationship, Leonardo concluded it was purely platonic. He enjoyed Antonio's company as a good friend and as a body guard when times were tough, but that was all.

I apologize Antonio. It is good to see you too. How have you been?" Leonardo pulled up a chair and sat down across from Antonio as he poured the two some caffe. The friends talked for what seemed like hours and Leonardo nearly forgot what he had seen before arriving.

"It may not be my place to ask, but did Ezio pass by the guild earlier today?" Leonardo was certain that he had seen Ezio beforehand. The unmistakable white hood, reminiscent of an eagle, was much too difficult for Leonardo to forget. Hi curiosity had gotten the better of him once again.

"Si, si, he did." Antonio appeared to be thinking something over. "Actually...he may still be here."

'_So he is here.'_ "If you would excuse me Antonio, I must be getting back to..." He paused. "...other pressing matters..." Thoughts of seeing Ezio again so soon flashed through his mind. The heat was beginning to rise to his checks and he became excited.

"Of course mi amico. Wonderful talking to you, as always. You certainly mustn't keep that _painting_ waiting." Antonio smirked as he said this. The slight inflection on those final words had made a jab at Leonardo's curiosity. Antonio's sly manner had always amused Leonardo before hand, making him even more captivating to talk to and to observe. Normally it would occur to him that Antonio was a master thief, one that did not exclude others personal lives from his list. However, Leonardo's mind drifted with the thought of Ezio embracing him when they met again. Leonardo was an intelligent man but still lacked the insight to grasp obvious concepts, even when his mind was focused. The thought of what Antonio could possibly know may have entered into his mind for one moment, but a glittering distraction possessed his will to leave thoughts of Antonio alone for now.

Exiting Antonio's office, Leonardo began to search the palazzo for Ezio. Not unlike a game of _nascondino_, Leonardo felt that he for once was stalking out his pry. Ezio was clearly not in the wide courtyard, with the various bands of thieves practising their free running and knife throwing. This turned Leonardo's attention to the many rooms adorning the halls along the buildings perimeter. Leonardo had never been in any of the palazzo's other rooms save for Antonio's office. It was like an adventure, discovering the unknown and snooping about. These two things Leonardo favoured greatly.

The first room was nothing more than a plain empty room, serving as sleeping quarters. A quaint fireplace and a half dozen cots lined the walls. The fire was slowly dying out and the room was quiet and serene but held nothing else of interest. Leonardo moved on down the hall. The second room was nearly the same as the first. A single man slept soundly on a bed near the cracking fire. Light played on the walls as Leonardo quietly check the man's face. An unknown thief.

Up the stairwell to another set of rooms, Leonardo could hear faint moans coming from behind the large wooden door only a few steps before him. The sensation to eavesdrop crept up on the artist's curiosity, poking and prodding its way to overcome his will to stop. Whatever was behind the door, he must find out. Lightning his steps, Leonardo tip toed up towards the door, pressing his ear against the hard mahogany. Just then, a loud groan, and at that moment, Leonardo knew it could only be Ezio.

"Ezio! Are you alright?!" Bursting into the room like a true genius, adrenaline pulsing through his veins, Leonardo indeed came face to face with Ezio, who was undoubtedly nude and clutching the unknown between his legs.

* * *

Leonardo could not speak. He could not move. The only thing he could do was allow his face to fill a deep red, only comparable to his crimson hat and cape.

Ezio only stared back in silence, frozen from the initial shock. The smallest of blushes graced his tanned face, not from embarrassment but from the heat of the roaring fire. Leonardo could not believe his good fortune, celebrating mentally before it dawned on him that he could not possibly stay in his current position without causing some disrupt. As soon as he realized the situation, a palm darted up to cover his eyes as he fumbled around to find the door. Ezio let out a low chuckle as he watched the older man stumble around like a drunken idiot. Mumbling a dozen apologies, Leonardo felt around for the door handle, tripping over a lump in the carpet, catching himself for a moment but then tripping over his own two feet, causing him to collapse onto a side table, bringing its contents down to the floor with him. Ezio could not help but let out a slew of laughter at the artist's antics. Leonardo didn't notice that Ezio let out a grimace afterwards.

"Scusa! Mi dispiace!" Leonardo, barely coherent enough to pick himself up with one hand, was still blocking the lustful site of Ezio.

"It is alright mi amico. Remove your hand. I need your help."Leonardo was hesitant but thrilled inside. Ezio was stark naked and wanted his help. Just to be able to see Ezio in this forbidden form was a treat. Leonardo promised himself to burn this memory into paper when he returned home.

The artist used both his hands to get up this time, careful not to destroy anything else. Even standing up he still avoid eye contact. Ezio's body was sinfully beautiful.

"Per favour Leonardo...I need you."


	3. Chapter 3

I appreciate the story favorites or update alerts that my inbox fills with but I'll be much happier to release new chapters faster with the more reviews I get. – Author

Chapter 3

Leonardo couldn't help but flush deep red. He wished for his heart to stop, as it was so loud he felt the whole of Venezia could hear, including Ezio. As he shuffled over to Ezio, looking down at his feet out of embarrassment, he could not even begin to process what was happening, which was odd for a man considered a genius. It seemed to take forever to cross the room. Leonardo tried to calm himself by doing mathematics in his head, but no matter how many times he calculated, the sum of all products always equaled Ezio. When Leonardo tried to think of his past paintings, he imagined sketching Ezio's naked form. The subject of biology was no better. His heart fluttered in the back of his throat. When at last Leonardo crossed the room after days of travel, he met Ezio's troubled gaze.

"I have some of the materials, but I have some difficulty doing this myself. Por favore Leonardo, if you could…" He trailed off, gesturing towards the space between his legs, a modest sheet covering him. Leonardo's breath hitched when he saw the _materials_ Ezio spoke of. He calmed however, gaining some confidence in what he must do.

Leonardo washed his hands in the bowl of warm water nearby and began his work. Even after Leonardo assessed the situation, his blush continued to float along the surface of his cheeks. If anything he could blame it on the proximity to the low crackling fire some few feet away. Ezio said nothing as he watched Leonardo puddling around about how to begin. Ezio did the only thing he thought would help. He removed the sheet.

Leonardo's eyes wasted no time taking in the sight before him. The large gaping wound was leaking a trail of blood down the side of Ezio's leg. It was already poorly bandaged. Leonardo's first instinct was to care for the wound, completely oblivious to Ezio's manhood, mere inches from the cut.

"I am glad that you came by Leonardo. I am not as skilled with the bandages as you are." Ezio's hand rose up to scratch the back of his head as he chuckled in embarrassment. Leonardo stayed silent and nodded. The wound wasn't as serious as he thought but still needed to be cleaned carefully. If Ezio developed an infection, he would require much more care and the thought of Leonardo being able to take care of his crush excited him. But Ezio's work was more important than Leonardo's own wants. He didn't want to stop Ezio from that. Dismissing these selfish thoughts from his mind, he set to work wiping the dried blood and disinfecting the wound with some alcohol. Ezio barely flinched at the burning pain and Leonardo mentally apologized. The pain was necessary to heal Ezio but Leonardo hated that he was the one who had to cause it.

After the wound was cleaned of blood and wet with alcohol, Leonardo padded it dry and covered it with gauze, then wrapped cotton bandages around Ezio's muscled thigh. Leonardo admired his work, and with his mind no longer clouded with the immediate need to care for Ezio, he finally noticed the close proximity to Ezio's penis. A small explosion went off in Leonardo's brain. Capillaries burst open, allowing more blood than ever before to flood his face. Before Leonardo knew it, he was hard. He backed away slowly, not able to shift his gaze. Standing up, his arms went to cover his embarrassment automatically.

"Y-you will be okay now Ezio…" His words were stuttered a bit as he tried his best to not reveal his secret to Ezio.

"Thank you Leonardo. You have been of great assistance." Ezio stood up, and held his arms out. Leonardo did not have the time to prepare for what would happen next. He was just as hesitant as Ezio was the first time he himself went to embrace the assassin. Leonardo would not be able to hide his erection if Ezio hugged him, but how often was he able to see Ezio, let alone hold his handsome naked frame in his own? This could be Leonardo's only chance.

Despite Ezio's wound, he walked up to Leonardo with ease and held him in his arms. The grip was tight but not suffocating, gentle and protective at the same time. Leonardo could not help but to wrap his own arms around the assassin. Just as soon as the embrace began, it ended, leaving Leonardo unsatisfied and lonely. He had forgotten about his erection but Ezio gave no noticeable sign that he had felt it pressed against him, regardless of his lack of clothing.

Stuttering, Leonardo spoke first.

"I'll…I'll see you another time…" He spoke quietly, hiding another creeping blush.

Leonardo left the Palazzo Della Seta happy, with some hope for the future.

Back in the streets, Leonardo had long forgotten his original purpose for leaving his house. In the huge mass of people floating around him, time seemed to slow down as he processed everything that had just happened. The nature in the city glowed greener then ever and shined all the more beautiful than it already was. Birds sang sweeter and Leonardo's ears drank in the sound like the sweetest honey. Leonardo began to walk back to his house. The crowd flowed around him like he was simply a lone boulder bisecting a small river. He was hardly concerned about where he was going. His mind was dazed with the past events that filled him with such ecstasy and happiness he could hardly believe it had just happened. As he replayed the scene in his head, he felt some part of his body wanted him to stop walking suddenly. He didn't listen.

-smack-

The chance that, so quickly he would arrived at his house and not realize in time that he would eventually smack into his front door since he was not 'mentally prepared' enough to open it, seemed slim, practically nonexistent. He did, however smack into his door. No one noticed his fumble. He collected himself, then opened the door and went inside. The painting that he had been working on earlier in the morning was still sitting there, half finished. It was due by the next day, to be presented at a party hosted by the bank owner who had commissioned it. The party was to honor the banker's daughter, who was to reach the age of maturity that day. The painting was of her. Such is the reason why Leonardo hated this painting so. The girl was not hideous nor was she extremely attractive. Leonardo did not care about the girl's attractiveness (as he had no interest in women physically) but something about this girl bothered him immensely. And it frustrated him ever more because he could not figure out the reason why. Whenever he tried to paint her visage on the canvas (from memory of course) he felt a strange emotion that he could not describe. This bothersome emotion permitted him to paint for only short periods of time as it would sometimes fill him with enough anger that he wanted to tear apart the canvas, scream and break things. Now, as he was staring at the half finished painting, he put his joyous memories of earlier that day aside, and with the passion and rage he felt towards the painting, towards that girl, he sought to finish it in one fell swoop, here and now. He painted aggressively, (although his skill did not falter). Leonardo had to finish it now, not only because he was greatly behind but because he could not stand to look at it one moment longer, knowing that if he did not finish it today, it would sit in his workshop, half finished, haunting and taunting him with its mysterious illogical stare. If he finished it now, he could cover it up until tomorrow, when he would later deliver it to the party and never see it, see that girl, again.

Hours passed. Leonardo barely shifted from his seat. His fingers, powered by hatred, never ceased moving. When he finally put down his pallet, it was nearing twilight. Leonardo had never painted out of anger before, but the majesty of the artwork was akin to the professionalism of his other drawings. He hated that. He hated that this girl was in any way related to his other creations, including the hidden sketches of Ezio. He sighed, and then turned the canvas around to face the corner so that the paint could dry and he wouldn't have to look at it. He let his brushes soak and went upstairs to bed.

The next morning, Leonardo woke up early. Groggy eyed and still half asleep, he crept down the stairs. The painting was still there, turned around and facing the wall as he had left it. The party wasn't until the late afternoon so Leonardo had some free time. Breakfast seemed like the logical first thing to do, but since his cold storage was filled with corpses for study, he would have to go out to the market to buy breakfast. A knock suddenly came from outside.

Upon opening the door, Leonardo came face to face with Rosa. It would be an understatement to say he was only a little surprised. Tumbling to the floor, Rosa giggled and helped him to his feet.

"Buongiorno Rosa. How can I help you?" Even though Leonardo had no particular taste for women, this did not prevent him from being friends with Rosa and a few others.

"Come Leonardo, today I will teach you how to be a man!"

"What?"

* * *

After little sleep, Ezio awoke to the sounds of chirping birds and clashing swords from the morning practice. The wound that Leonardo had patched up was feeling better. The bleeding had ceased long ago and now it would only be a matter of time before it was healed completely. As Ezio went to dress, a thought occurred to him. Currently he had been given some free time, and although the streets of Venice never stood still, there was really no immediate need for him to wear his assassin armor. Besides, he couldn't remember the last time he had cleaned it. If the white of the costume didn't give away his presence, the smell of it surely would. Cleaning the getup properly himself would take a while but not days. What would he do in the meantime?

* * *

"Rosa, per favore, where are you taking me?" Leonardo was frantic as Rosa dragged him along through the winding back alleyways. Having been practically abducted from his house, Leonardo wasn't even properly dressed. Being pulled around the city in his night gown by a strange woman couldn't possibly look good.

"That is for me to know, and for you to find out, Leonardo." Rosa smirked, giving Leonardo the impression that something bad was about to happen. He could only be dragged along and hope for the best.

Before long, they arrived at a deserted street graced by a small section of the canal. On one of the many poles that grew up from the water, a bag containing a small bundle hung.

"Here we are Leonardo." Rosa let go of his sleeve and stared at the pole with the bag, waiting for Leonardo to catch on. Leonardo, seeing nothing of interest in this part of town, turned around and began to head back to his house. Rosa did not give him that pleasure. She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back despite his protests.

"Rosa, I need to get home and change. I shouldn't be walking around like this…" He gestured to his current attire, the long night gown and his all too familiar hat (of similar appearance but only used for sleeping).

"Do you see that bag hanging off the pole in the canal Leonardo?" Rosa pointed towards it, smiling devilishly. "Your usual clothing is in that bag. All you have to do is get it and you can put it on without walking home in embarrassment. However if you try to leave, I will strip you naked on the spot!"

Leonardo was shocked. Should he risk his well being to try and retrieve his clothing, or run home nude with but a hat to protect his vital regions? He couldn't possibly do the latter; much too embarrassing. However, it was still early. If he was quick he could make it back before any one saw him. _'No. No! Perish the thought. If someone were to see me, it would cause nothing but trouble in the future.'_

"I suppose my only choice is to try to get my clothing back…" Leonardo sighed. How was he supposed to reach the bag? He could jump into the canal and swim to it, but reaching the bag from the water's level would be too difficult. He had seen Ezio jump from pole to pole; maybe he could do that same? It was risky but it was all he could do at short notice. He now realized why Rosa had said she was going to teach him how to be a man.

"Yes Leonardo. Quickly now, before the city wakes." Rosa smirked. This would certainly be entertaining.

Leonardo walked up towards the ledge of the small bridge that crossed over the canal. All he had to do was to balance himself on the ledge, and jump forward a few times. Only two empty poles stood before him and his prize.

'_If I can just focus, this will be easy. But alas, what a mean prank to play. How did Rosa even get into my house? Well, she is a thief after all…do not allow yourself to get side tracked Leonardo. You must concentrate.'_

Leonardo hopped onto the ledge, and stood erect. With all his attention aimed at the bag that carried his precious clothing, he took the first leap, and landed on the first pole. He knew if he waited too long he would fall, so the second leap came soon after the first. Once again, Leonardo landed, (not very gracefully) on the second pole. His balance began to fail and he struggled to pull himself together. One more leap and he would make it. Diving at the third and final pole, it did not occur to Leonardo that he could have easily jumped atop the third pole, grabbed the bag and returned to the bridge. The way he had jumped would mean that he would…

-splash- -thump-

Not only did Leonardo fall into the water, but he also managed to bruise his head on the pole, his skull connecting with it nicely. Fortunately some good did come from this. The bag fell off the pole, and even though Leonardo now had a splitting headache, he grabbed it before it touched the water's surface. Rosa couldn't help but burst into laughter from the scene. As he swam back to the bridge he grumbled and demanded Rosa helped him out, seeing as she got him into this mess.

"Good job Leonardo, -snicker-, a fine job indeed…Ha ha ha!" Rosa took a look at Leonardo after having pulled him out of the water and instantly stopped laughing and blushed madly instead. His white night gown had become somewhat transparent from being wet.

"Perhaps you should change now Leonardo, before anyone see you…" Rosa turned away to give him privacy and Leonardo blushed too when he realized why she had stopped laughing.

Now fully dressed, Leonardo could make his way home. He said his goodbye to Rosa and left, clutching the bag containing his now soaked night gown. Once at home he would dry the gown, but his first order of business was to feed himself. His stomach growled in agreement.

* * *

Thank you to all those who had read my story so far. I have lots of ideas for what is to come, so a new chapter will be out soon. Sooner if you read my above notice. - Author


	4. Chapter 4

I am truly sorry for the delay. May and June were hell for me with exams and my involvement in leading prom. Now that summer has arrived I will have the time to update more frequently. – Author

Chapter 4

Back at his home, Leonardo sulked up to the second floor clutching his wet clothes. He hung them on the balcony connected to his room and gazed out at the city slowly waking up. He wished to admire the beauty for a little longer, day dreaming about a day when he could watch the sun rise with Ezio, but his stomach was in no mood to allow him to stand still. A loud resounding growl pushed the romantic thoughts from his mind and replaced them with hunger. Leonardo's previous mission of obtaining breakfast was now reinstated and he left his workshop in a hurry with hopes to cease the rumblings of his stomach.

It wasn't long before Leonardo found a small café with a quaint terrace serving breakfast.

'_Perfect. This will do nicely.'_ Rather than trudge groceries back to his house and make the effort to prepare a meal, one served to him piping hot and ready to be digested was much more appealing. Leonardo was seated by a young man, who gave him a welcoming and gentle smile. Leonardo blushed as the boy set down a cup of caffe in front of him. He thanked the boy and smiled back, noticing the waiter himself redden at the gratitude.

"Buongiorno Leonardo. How are you this morning?"

Sister Teodora had managed to sneak up behind Leonardo and greeted him with a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Leonardo jumped. Teodora giggled.

"Ah! Sister Teodora, buongiorno to you as well. You gave me a quite a fright just now." Leonardo calmed his racing heart, not used to being surprised by so many women so early in the morning. "Won't you join me for some breakfast?"

Sister Teodora smiled and accepted the offer. Leonardo did not notice himself but the men from other tables were cursing his good fortune. Sister Teodora's business was well known with the men in Venezia. Her courtesans made many a wife angry but still pleased the hearts (and bodies) of many Italian men. Teodora's own beauty was a sight to be marvelled and the men at the nearby tables all shifted their gaze to her.

Sister Teodora was another of the few women that Leonardo would allow himself to befriend. Her business did not bother him in the least (as he was no feminist) and she herself was a very intelligent woman with whom Leonardo could converse with to the same level as Antonio.

The waiter returned and blushed at Leonardo's guest, took both their orders and scurried off to fill them. As the two conversed over the latest political squabbles and their current business, breakfast arrived and they both gave the young waiter a gentle smile and continued talking. The waiter went deep red, never having served such a beautiful couple before. A small crowd had formed at the cafe, young ladies and men all wishing to get a table in the café close to the sparkling pair.

"Leonardo, it has been wonderful catching up with you but you must tell me, what is troubling you? I can see it in your eyes; don't try to cover it up now." Sister Teodora was right. She could see Leonardo's worry over his unrequited love for Ezio. And when Leonardo blushed and tore away from her piercing gaze, she smiled and chuckled to herself. A low cooing from the young ladies in the café watching the conversation floated away with the hustle of the morning crowds. Leonardo was quite the hit among them.

"Alright then stay quiet. I believe I know what's troubling you anyway." She gave him a wink and a small uproar from the men in the café drifted into the crowded morning streets as well. Neither of the two noticed. Leonardo's creeping blushed deepened.

"Y-you do? Ah, no it's not what you thi-" Sister Teodora cut him off.

"Grazie for the meal, Leonardo. It was wonderful seeing you again." Sister Teodora got up and left quickly before Leonardo could finish his sentence. The men the in café seemed to filter out with her, leaving Leonardo alone once again. He sighed and wondered to himself if his feelings for Ezio were really that obvious. Thinking about Ezio for only that brief moment flustered him and when the waiter returned to collect the plates and leave the bill, he noticed that Sister Teodora had left him with her half of the check. He tsked but didn't mind paying for her. He wasn't attracted to women but he was still a gentleman.

After thanking the redden waiter and leaving the café, it was nearing midmorning. Leonardo still had plenty of time before the party later that day. Even though he was finished his main project, Leonardo had other projects he could finish but remembering the events from the day before, he had promised himself to sketch a portrait of a certain nude assassin.

* * *

Ezio laid sprawled out on his bed at the Palazzo Della Seta. He had woken up early and taken some time to clean his assassin armour. Polished, scentless and pristine, it had taken a few hours to clean. Now Ezio had found himself with nothing to do. Practicing his techniques was always an option and learning new moves from the thieves was also a thought that had come to mind, but he felt that it wasn't really necessary. He had explored every inch of Venezia, collected every eagle feather, and plundered from every hidden chest. There was nothing left for him to do adventuring wise. Ezio struggled to remember what he used to do every day before he was an assassin. After some thought, the only answer that didn't remind him of his former family was courting the various young ladies of Firenze. But that was when he was young, handsome and carefree. Sure Ezio still had dashing good looks but had his ways with women remained? He didn't have a problem with Rosa but she wasn't always around, and Ezio was never one to be tied down for too long. He needed to find a distraction, anything to keep him busy during his 'vacation'. But first things first, there was something else that Ezio needed more than a lady friend at the moment. And that was something to wear.

Parading around Venezia in his underwear certainly would attract attention from the female crowd, but also the guards as well. Ezio would have to do the one thing that almost all males feared most. Clothing shopping. In the past his mother and Claudia would buy or make clothes for him. He knew nothing of fashion or what would fit him. He cursed mentally and trudged around his room, muttering. It wasn't as if he could simply send a bird to Monteriggioni asking for Claudia to send him clothing. He couldn't leave his room in his usual assassin attire as the fabric was still drying in the light breeze near the window (close but not close enough that anyone could see the suspicious outfit). Well if it was just the male thieves in the palazzo, then would it be so strange for him to walk around shirtless? He could simply borrow a thief uniform until he got more 'fitting clothes'.

'_Alright then, I'll just find Antonio and borrow a uniform. Simple as that.' _Ezio left his room in search of Antonio, who was sure to be in the palazzo somewhere. Once in the hallways, Ezio overheard Antonio's voice immediately in the courtyard, which was then followed by a large amount of giggling. Antonio, as it turned out was entertaining a few girls himself, currently in the midst of a joke. As the girls laughed away, Antonio looked up to spot Ezio.

"Ezio! Good to see you awake...ah you seemed to be lacking clothing this morning..." As this point, the group of girls stopping laughing and all whipped around to stare down this man who Antonio addressed as 'lacking clothing'. Normally something like this wouldn't faze Ezio but instead he was actually taken aback at how embarrassed he felt. A small blush crawled along his cheeks as he waved and crept back into his room. Maybe the assassin armour had protected his ego for so long he felt naked and defenceless without it.

"Well to each his own...Now ladies would you like a special tour of the city, by yours truly of course?" The girls giggled and made their way out of the palazzo, arms latched onto Antonio, as he began to guide them through a city wide history lesson.

Ezio, now back in his room, decided that his previous plan wasn't as bright as he thought. The standard thief uniform would most likely not even fit him, since the majority of the thieves were lean and thin. Ezio was built and much larger in comparison. With no options left, he had no choice but to call on Leonardo for help again. He quickly scrawled a message on some parchment, and tied it to the messenger pigeon in the room. After freeing the pigeon on the balcony, Ezio sat and waited for the response.

* * *

Leonardo was in the middle of dissecting a fresh corpse when he heard a small rapping at his window. Rushing over to see the cause of the distraction, Leonardo was surprised to see a messenger pigeon. It wasn't often he received messages by pigeon so he rushed to untie it from the bird's leg. The pigeon waited patiently for Leonardo to read the message.

_Leonardo,_

_I'm sorry to bother you if you were busy but I'm in a little bit of a...situation. Can you bring me something to wear per favore?_

_Ezio_

Leonardo didn't really know what to make of the strange note. The first thing Leonardo questioned was why Ezio needed clothing. The second: where he would even bring an outfit in the first place. It didn`t matter however. What did matter was that he would be able to see Ezio again and so soon too. It made his heart flutter and his mind run wild with devious thoughts and lustful fantasies of Leonardo helping Ezio undress. Leonardo wasted no time putting away the corpse for now and rummaging through his closet for an outfit that would fit Ezio. Since he had visualized Ezio's impressive form so many times, he had a good idea of his general size and since the two were about the same height, finding pants that fit wouldn't be a problem either. He picked out a simple outfit, dark pants, a long sleeved white shirt and a blue-green vest with a belt. He imagined Ezio wearing this as he examined his choice. It was perfect, reminding him of the time they had first met in Firenze, how sexy he seemed carrying the paintings. Leonardo blushed and gathered up the clothes. In a hurry to rush out the door, Leonardo almost forgot about the pigeon still waiting patiently on the window sill.

"I would assume that I could find Ezio at the Palazzo Della Seta?" The pigeon, in some strange way seemed to understand Leonardo and gave a sort of nod as it flew off in the direction of the palazzo. Leonardo followed after. Soon he would get to see his beloved Ezio again.

Jogging through the bustling morning streets, Leonardo arrived at the palazzo in record time. He rushed in, following the steps up the room he had found Ezio in the day before. He blushed as a flash of an intimate memory raced across his mind. Arriving at the large wooden door again, he was sure to knock this time.

"Ezio? Are you there? I've brought you some clothes." Silence. Then...

"Entrare." Ezio's voice rang out clearly and Leonardo smiled as he turned the door knob. He was greeted with another sinful site of Ezio, not naked this time, but still baring some skin. Leonardo tried to hold back his excitement as he watched Ezio petting the cooing pigeon from earlier.

"Ciao Ezio! I've brought you something to wear. Please try it on, to make sure it fits..." Leonardo's mind couldn't help but spin various fantasy webs as he watched Ezio stand and walk over to Leonardo to accept the outfit.

"Grazie mille, mi amico. You have no idea how fortunate I am to have you around." Ezio laughed and began to pull on the pants.

"Scusa, I hope you don't mind me asking, but, why ever did you need me to bring you clothing?" Leonardo couldn't help but be curious, his genius always needing to be expanded.

"Ah well it's quite a funny story actually. Lorenzo has gifted me with some time off and I thought it wouldn't be appropriate to wear my armour for the time being, but..." Ezio chuckled, "I found myself with nothing else to wear! I couldn't have gone out to purchase clothing not wearing any myself, now could I?"

'_I wouldn't have minded seeing that.' _Leonardo thought to himself. "Ha ha. Yes I suppose you are right Ezio. Well, how does it fit?"

Ezio, having finished changing, admired himself in the nearby mirror. "Not bad, Leonardo. You have excellent taste, just like my sister. It fits perfectly." Ezio turned around and flashed Leonardo a smile. It was to die for, and made Leonardo's heart melt inside.

"Ha! I feel young again." The outfit reminded him of the times back when he would play around with his brothers and roam the streets of Firenze as a young man.

"You still are Ezio." Leonardo began to laugh and Ezio soon joined him and the two exchanged a heart felt moment.

"How can I thank you Leonardo? You do so much for me." Leonardo's mind quickly went from blissful happiness to greedy thoughts.

'_Now that you've tried on your clothes, let me undress your beautiful body.' _Is what he wanted to say but he couldn't let Ezio know. He tried his best to hide his explosive blush but red still seeped through. "Think nothing of it Ezio. I'm always happy to help you." He turned to leave and became sullen, letting out a low sigh. "I'll see you soon perhaps? Arrivederci Ezio." Leonardo left quickly, his thoughts soon darkening with the knowledge that Ezio would never be his. As the door slowly opened then closed, Leonardo had left before he could have noticed the pink spreading across Ezio's face. As Ezio stared at the door Leonardo had just exited through, he wondered to himself.

'_Did Leonardo just look...cute...for a moment there? No, no that can't be right.' _ Ezio shock the thoughts from his mind and looked in the mirror again, stroking his ego at his handsome appearance.

"Bene, time to hit the town!"

* * *

Leonardo walked back to his workshop, heart threatening to burst out of his chest. Had Leonardo heard Ezio correctly? He was given time off, a rare thing for an assassin to possess. Leonardo didn't worry about the details at the time. His mind was only focused on one thing, the knowledge that Ezio would be within his reach for a while. He could see him at any time he wanted. Well not any time but he could change that. Ezio was staying with Antonio at the Palazzo Della Seta. Ezio could be staying with Leonardo. He had a spare room and had no problem letting Ezio use it. The only problem was convincing Ezio to leave the thieves guild to stay with him. He knew that Ezio didn't like to owe Leonardo anything, always trying to compensate Leonardo with money or some kind of favour for his services. But he really didn't mind helping Ezio if it meant he could see the man that made his heart skip beats. He wanted Ezio to stay with him. He wanted Ezio. It was sinful and wrong in the eyes of the public but that didn't matter to Leonardo. He was fairly good at covering up his personal life and even if the masses caught wind, the rumours would die the moment something juicier came along, which it always did.

When Leonardo entered his workshop, he just remembered that his night gown was still lying out on the balcony. Surely it was dry now. He hurried up to his room and threw open the balcony door. The night gown was missing.

"Oi Leonardo~ Up here!" Rosa sat perched on the roof across from Leonardo's balcony, holding Leonardo's night gown and cap in one hand, waving the other to gather his attention. Leonardo couldn't help but be a little peeved.

"Dammit, Rosa! First my day clothing and now my night gown?" Leonardo shouted across the garden at Rosa, who simply smiled coyly and waved the night gown, teasing Leonardo.

"Yup! Part Two Leonardo! Catch me and you will get your clothes back and a special surprise!" Rosa yelled back at him, standing up and sprinting off in the opposite direction, bounding gracefully from rooftop to rooftop.

"WHAT?" Leonardo was getting sick of Rosa's _surprises_ but couldn't really do anything but to play along. It was his favourite nightgown and hat after all. First Leonardo had learned to leap from pole to pole across the canal, now he would learn to free run on the city's buildings, an action which he knew was discouraged by city guards. He looked to the side and noticed a ladder that had been conveniently placed where it hadn't been before. Quickly he climbed it to the roof of his workshop and began to run after Rosa.

Leonardo stumbled, trying desperately not to fall and break his neck; he was after all, at least two stories (maybe more) above the ground. Leonardo knew that there was no way for him to keep up with Rosa but she herself knew this as well, and seemed to slow her speed, letting Leonardo catch up to her just before sprinting ahead out of his reach.

"Rosa!" -huff- "This is ridiculous!" -huff- "Give me back my night gown!" Leonardo had difficulty keeping up but was beginning to notice how quickly he had gotten the hang of free running. Or maybe it was just because the path Rosa took was easy enough for Leonardo to navigate without killing himself. Rosa just laughed and flew across the roof tops like the graceful thief she was. Suddenly she turned a corner around a building and disappeared out of sight. By the time Leonardo got to where she had just been, he could not find her. The curtain of a roof top garden flapped in the breeze and caught Leonardo's attention. He swore he saw a giggling thief crouching inside. Leonardo snuck up as quietly as he could, and dove in.

-SMACK-

A nice head collision into the other side of the hiding spot caught Rosa's attention. Leonardo's body landed on top of her and pinned her as she held her gut roaring with laugher.

"Looks like you found me Leonardo. Well done! You may have your clothes back." Leonardo rubbed the forming bump on his temple and growled at Rosa as he snatched away his nightgown and hat.

"Perché Rosa? Why do you torture me so?" Leonardo pleaded as he stood up, still gingerly rubbing the bruise.

"Torture? Ha! Never! Do not fret Leonardo, it is nothing but training." Rosa smirked and helped him out of the small hiding spot.

"Training for what, if I may ask?" Leonardo hoped there wouldn't be any more 'training session's' after this one, but his hopes were soon dashed.

"If I told you that, then this wouldn't be any fun would it?" Rosa giggled and turned, ready to leave.

"I am not having fun." But Rosa was already leaping off into the distance. Leonardo sighed. With his head pulsing, Leonardo opted to walk back to his workshop, finding a ladder close by and climbing down. Ironically, a city archer only noticed Leonardo just as he was climbing down the ladder, yelling at the man to grow up and stay on the ground.

All the exercise caused Leonardo's stomach to growl in unison with a nearby clock's chime. Noon. He would pick up a few groceries on the way home. Soon he would need to be getting ready for the party.

'_Wait, hadn't Rosa said there was a surprise if I succeeded?'_ A chill ran down Leonardo's back. He had had enough surprises for one day.

* * *

Once again I am sorry for the delay. Expect the next chapter out before the 9th of July. Please let me know how I am doing. Long reviews make Leonardo take his clothes off. - Author


	5. Chapter 5

I must thank Slowpoke15hi5 for her wonderfully long and helpful review. Good long feedback is a wonderful gift to a fan fiction writer and since my desire for a long review was granted so quickly, so too will the desires of the readers. –Author

Chapter 5

"Grazie signore. Please come again." The mechanical greeting passed through Leonardo's ear as he paid the woman running the fruit stand for his purchase.

Leonardo sighed, reflecting back on his hectic morning. All he could hope for was that the rest of the day would pass worry free. It was only noon and the party wouldn't be for a few more hours. All he had to do was waste some time, deliver the portrait and then he could go home and do as he pleased, hopefully with no more surprises from Rosa. Planning the rest of his day out, the thought came back to him.

'_What was the surprise that Rosa had been talking about? Surely it wouldn't be another training session but anything is possible with that woman. Maybe there will be something at the house...'_

Leonardo's train of thought had been leading him in the right direction. When he opened the door to his workshop, the first thing he noticed was a small bag on his paper cluttered table. Curiosity always getting the best of Leonardo, he couldn't wait to see what was in the bag. Quickly putting his night gown and hat safely away in his closet, and the groceries in the cupboard, he rushed over to the table to inspect the little bag.

_Enjoy. From Rosa_ was written on a small tag used to tie the bag tight.

'_This doesn't look too bad...hold your tongue Leonardo, it is Rosa after all.' _Leonardo unwound the tag and braced himself for the worse, some kind of explosion or rodent was sure to scamper out of the bag. But nothing happened. Breathing a sigh of relief, Leonardo opened the bag wide and was surprised at the contents.

Caffè. How sweet of Rosa he thought. And it looked high quality too. He would save it for later. Now was time for lunch.

* * *

Ezio had guessed long ago that his sexy charms had never faded in the many years he had been an assassin. Immediately after leaving the palazzo in his new clothes from Leonardo, girls had been eyeing him all day, cooing, smiling and giggling like children when he passed by. He would wave and give some of the prettier ones a wink. One young lady even fainted into her friend's arms. It wasn't long before one brave girl approached Ezio and took it upon herself to try to seduce the man. The tables were soon turned on her. They spent a few hours together, walking all over the city and stopped at some scenic spots to chat. (Well the girl chatted, Ezio just listened and nodded.) It wasn't long before Ezio had 'charmed' the girl back to her house and was invited in for _caffè. _Ezio accepted the offer. He was thirsty.

Ezio made passionate love to the girl. He had longed for some kind of pleasure in his life of turmoil for so long that he put all his energy into that moment. In the end it may have been too much. The girl lasted only a couple of minutes before shrieking out and collapsing, spent, on the bed. Ezio sigh in disapproval and dressed himself. As he buttoned up his vest and tightened the belt, he turned around to look at the girl he had picked up only a merger three hours before, lying naked and fast asleep. He felt disgusted, not only for picking up such a young woman but for allowing himself to deface her pure body with his tainted passion. He was much too dark for any young girl to handle him. And now he would leave her without saying goodbye. He hoped he would never see her poor face again. With that, he left out the window and flew over the city back to the palazzo. He felt dirty and needed to bathe.

"I'm sorry Ezio but the bath is out of order. Maybe Leonardo will lend you his." Antonio would have liked to bathe as well but an unfortunate accident had disabled the bath for use for a while before someone could come to fix it. Antonio told him that the incident in question had involved Rosa. Ezio smirked and told Antonio he didn't need to know anymore. That girl was a firecracker. But now it would mean that Ezio would have to call on Leonardo's assistance for the second time that day. He hated asking for help from others, especially Leonardo, so often. He would definitely pay the artist back somehow.

* * *

Leonardo was pissed. It was a little after three in the afternoon. The party was at five and he was set to present the painting at half past that hour, when the guests had all arrived and would be able to witness his so called genius. The painting still faced the corner, not visible to his eye but still managing to taunt him. Leonardo paced around the room in circles. He would have liked to finish up the corpse he had started earlier but the painting prevented him. That _girl_ prevented him. What was it about that woman on the canvas that infuriated him so? He strutted up to the large work bench and smashed his fists down, his eyes burning with hatred of the unknown. The only thing that brought him back to his senses was the relief that the painting would be gone in a matter of hours.

'_Calm yourself Leonard. It will be over soon and you can go back to your daily life, perhaps one with Ezio living in your house, eh?' _He chuckled, almost maniacally. _'Yes that does sound good doesn't it? After this god forsaken commission is out of the house, you can set your plan for Ezio into motion...just as soon as you come up with one. Now how about we make some of the caffè Rosa left you and take a nice calming bath before the party.'_ Leonardo's inner monologue ending, he prepared the hot water for the caffè, poured it into a cup and stirred the brown powder in, after which he went up to his room, loudly humming a tune he had heard a bard playing in the streets earlier that day.

Just as Leonardo closed the door to his room, Ezio knocked on the workshop door. He was greeted with silence and he knocked again.

"Leonardo? May I come in mio amico?" The last knock pushed the door ajar and Ezio peered inside. When he saw the steam coming off the cup in the middle of the room he knew Leonardo was home, just perhaps upstairs or in another room.

"Pardon my intrusion Leonardo, but the bath at the guild is out of order." More silence though he could have sworn he heard a tune from somewhere. Perhaps a bard had followed him to the workshop. God those bastards were annoying. They didn't seem to go away unless he punched them.

"Would it be possible for me to use you bath? Leonardo?" Still no answer. Perhaps the artist had taken a siesta. '_That man probably looks just as happy and carefree sleeping as he does when he's awake…' _Ezio shook his head violently. What was that thought? Thinking something so strange about Leonardo…he really needed that bath. If he remembered correctly, it was on the first floor to the right of him past the table. Leonardo wouldn't mind. As he made his way in that direction, he grabbed Leonardo's cup and took a sip absentmindedly. He paused. It was delicious. He took another long sip and remembered that it wasn't his to drink. He put it down and made a mental note to apologize to Leonardo later. Would the things he took from Leonardo never cease?

Meanwhile, Leonardo had undressed upstairs and fetched a towel, still humming the tune he feared would be stuck in his head for a while now. It was quite addictive and he could see why the bards were suddenly making so much more money. Skipping down the steps, his good mood restored, he went to take a sip of his coffee. The delightful smell filled his nostrils and as he was about to take a sip, something in his brain clicked. He had smelled this scent before. The strong rich scent was a warning of strange side affects to come were one to partake in the bean's juice. It was an imported delicacy that was beginning to become a popular fad amongst Venetians. Leonardo knew from gossip and his own studies that the side effects were not dangerous in small quantities but they were extremely effective. Then Leonardo noticed something else. The cup was already half empty. Thinking back, he thought he heard someone come into the workshop asking for him, but he had dismissed it at the time. What if that person had come in and drank some of the caffè? If they had left then it wouldn't be his problem anymore but…

-squeak- "Whoa…ah ha ha watch out~" –splash-

That was Ezio's voice. Leonardo's heart stopped for a moment, then began to beat so fast it threatened to pop right out of his chest. Leonardo's current worse fear and greatest desire had been fulfilled at the same instant. He immediately concluded that Ezio had drunk the caffè and was now in his bathroom, possibly drowning with the splashing he just heard. His grip on the towel tightened and sprinted for the bathroom door. With all of Ezio's travel, there was a slim chance that he knew that the caffè he has just drunk was an extremely powerful aphrodisiac.

"EZIO!" '_Mio Dio, please don't be dead.' _Leonardo burst into his bathroom, heart pounding, breathing heavily. His fear had not been realized as he noticed that Ezio was not face down in two feet of water, but he soon went pale as all of his blood left his face and travelled south. For a second time, Leonardo found himself graced enough to see Ezio naked, but this time in a very different situation. Ezio had made it into the tub, though had managed to splash a fair amount of water all over the floor. As Ezio turned his head to face Leonardo, the artist could see that the aphrodisiac had taken effect. Ezio's face was a deep red, and he seemed to be breathing heavily, almost panting. The blood that had drained from Leonardo's face managed to circulated back to give his own cheeks a hearty glow.

"Leonardo…" Ezio voice was pure ecstasy. The need that Leonardo heard from the assassin excited him to no end and Leonardo knew that at this moment Ezio could be his. '_Ezio…cazzo what a perfect moment, but there's no way that I can take advantage of Ezio…not like this. Dammit Ezio, why must you be so tempting?' _ Leonardo wanted more than anything to take Ezio right now. It was his wildest fantasy come true but the guilt he would eventually feel was not worth it. He couldn't bare the emotional trauma of Ezio's reaction were he to ever find out that he had raped him. Leonardo's erection throbbed painfully, begging to be touched. He knew that he was naked too and was grateful to have the towel to hide his shame.

"Hmm Leonardo, perfect timing…" Ezio picked himself up out of the tub, water dripping down his body and outlining his muscles and glistening features. Leonardo gulped. Ezio's own length was as solid as his own, no doubt a result from the caffè.

"Ezio, mi dispiace, I didn't mean to walk in on you…" Leonardo couldn't help but blush madly as the assassin seemed to slowly rise out of the tub and walk towards him, almost teasing the artist with his body.

"No worries Leonardo, you're just the person I wanted to see…"Ezio moved gracefully across the small room and placed a hand on Leonardo's cheek, running his fingers down the side of the painters face. Leonardo held back a soft moan. This was too much for him. Ezio just smirked. '_My body…is so hot. I can barely control myself. I'm sorry Leonardo. I need release so badly, something, anything. I hope you will forgive me…'_

"Ahh..Ezio what are you doing?" Ezio had pulled Leonardo's towel away and embraced him tightly. Leonardo could feel the heat radiating off of Ezio's body as he squeezed him tighter, their erection's touching. Leonardo's mind blanked into bliss.

"Leonardo…I need you. Right here, right now. I'm sorry but I can't hold out any longer." Ezio was desperate for release and here was Leonardo, his slim yet sculpted body taunting him. All Ezio did was take and take from Leonardo, and now he would take the man for himself as well.

"E-Ezio, s-stop, your're not yourself…ahhh!" Leonardo's plea didn't stop the assassin. Ezio had already taken up Leonardo's neck, claiming him as his own. He sucked painfully with each kiss, leaving dark purple marks. Leonardo moaned loudly; he couldn't keep it trapped in his throat any longer. Leonardo tried to push Ezio away. He didn't want Ezio like this, he didn't want this moment to only be spurred by some drug and not from love, but Ezio was persistent and used one strong hand to pin Leonardo's arms above his head to the wall. Leonardo was helpless to resist.

'_Again Leonardo I am sorry. I don't know why I feel so hot but the tightness in my chest…my heart…when I see you I can't help but attack you. Please endure this.' _Ezio found himself with little control of his actions, his body doing everything it could to bring the pleasure he desired from Leonardo. His mind was so wrapped up in Leonardo's body, he didn't seem to notice how little the artist had begun to resist. Leonardo, despite his disapproval of the current situation, would not resist the attention that Ezio was giving him. When Ezio took up his lips in a passionate kiss and forced his tongue into Leonardo's mouth, the artist complied and kissed back with equalled passion. If his hands weren't pinned he would have liked to have caressed the beautiful body that had danced out of his reach for so many years. Leonardo would gladly give himself to Ezio but that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun too.

Another deep kiss and Ezio began to explore the older man's mouth, feeling the other's tongue with his own and tracing along the roof of his cave. It made Leonardo shudder and cry out. Ezio's manhood throbbed painfully, reminding him of his own need. Slowly at first, Ezio began to thrust against Leonardo, erections connecting each time. He gave Leonardo back the use of his hands, which Leonardo immediately used to hold Ezio closer, to feel his warmth. He felt like he could never release Ezio, he wanted him forever. No one else could have his heart.

Ezio placed one powerful hand in the small of Leonardo's back, pushing his hips forward, while the other hand grabbed both lengths and stroked them in the rhythm of each thrust forward. Leonardo moaned softly with each push, and Ezio too could no longer hide his voice.

Ezio was close already. No one person had invoked so much into him that he would be the one to come first. His thrusts became rushed and Leonardo could feel Ezio's struggle to release. He pushed back and rocked with Ezio, each thrusting up into the other. Leonardo claimed Ezio's lips in one last romantic kiss before he too felt himself reach his climax.

"Nnnn…h!" Ezio cried out and gasped, spreading white hot passion over Leonardo's stomach. "E-EZIO!" Leonardo quickly came afterwards, the loud moan pushing him past the point of no return, cumming into Ezio hand. The pair collapsed against the wall, no longer having the strength to stand. Ezio's body lay on top of Leonardo, large and sweaty but somehow light and still smelling sweetly. Ezio wanted nothing more than to pass out and fall into a deep rewarding sleep, but his body felt it needed to do one more thing. Taking one of Leonardo's long and delicate fingers, he scooped up a bit of Leonardo's cum, looked him straight in the eye and licked it clean.

"Grazie Leonardo. You taste amazing." With that, the assassin fell upon Leonardo's chest and quickly drifted off. Leonardo, heart fluttering, was still taking in what had just happened, but he thought that, at least for now, he should rest, and wrapped his arms around his temporary prize and held him tight.

* * *

I'm sorry if this wasn't smutty enough for some readers. I'll work on writing better sex scenes for the next big one. Expect another chapter in another week. - Author


	6. Chapter 6

Apologizes for the long wait. My last few weeks consisted of waking up at 11 everyday only to then laze about reading Hetalia fan fiction, drawing Hetalia fan art, or making a Hetalia cosplay. As you can tell I'm not that into Hetalia. Apologizes again. Enjoy this long chapter -Author

Chapter 6

Leonardo awoke to find himself still holding onto Ezio. The cum and sweat on their skin had long dried and he felt dirty. He looked down at Ezio, still as beautiful as ever, lightly snoring as he slept on Leonardo's chest. The drug he had taken before was powerful enough to keep Ezio knocked out for a few hours at least. '_Wait…how long have I been sitting here? Oh No! The Party! I need to get ready, I need to bathe, I-I have to do something!'_

Leonardo began to get panicky, his mind rushing to organize his next steps. He needed to do something about Ezio, he needed to get cleaned up and he needed to get to that party. He began by gently pushing Ezio off of his still naked form and leaning him up against the wall, careful not the wake the sleeping assassin. Since Ezio had been in the tub beforehand he was already pretty clean save for the white stain on his stomach and hand. Leonardo took a wash cloth and rubbed his down, mopping up the areas he knew there would be dried sweat also. He then quickly washed himself off and wrapped the previously discarded towel around his waist.

Now that he was cleaned, he needed to take care of Ezio; he couldn't just leave him in the bathroom to sleep. Rising out of the tub and draining the water on the way, he went to pick up Ezio, the intention to bring him to his own bed and let him sleep there. He had forgotten about all the water that Ezio had managed to splash on the tile flooring. Slipping immediately, Leonardo grabbed for the air, hoping he would grasp something. Fortunately he caught his balance on the sink, surprised he didn't succumb to his clumsiness like usual.

Ezio continued to sleep soundly.

Ezio surely had a bigger build then Leonardo but that didn't mean the artist was a complete weakling. He pulled Ezio up and slung one arm over his shoulders and began to haul him towards the stairs. After many huffs and puffs later, Leonardo had Ezio safely tucked away in his bed. He really needed to work out more.

Leonardo swiftly turned his head after the clock tower nearby began to gong out 5 o'clock. He had half an hour. He needed to hurry. Quickly dressing himself in formal attire and donning his favourite hat, Leonardo turned to head down to the workshop, but stole one more glace of the snoozing Ezio in all his beauty.

"You can't get away with all that teasing forever Ezio…" Quietly he left the room, smiling to himself at the memories of earlier.

Wasting no time, Leonardo threw a covering over the portrait and scurried out the door, off to the party.

It wasn't long before he arrived getting there with enough time to spare to catch his breath and a snack. This man really knew how to throw around his money. It seemed like half the city had been invited. Impressive amounts of only the best culinary creations lined the walls and servants dipped in an out of the crowd offering drinks to whoever happened to pass by without a glass in their hand. Music was playing in the background and a small area had been set aside for dancing. At the top of the grand hall where the party was being held, sat the girl in question that Leonardo had painted, beside her sat her father, beaming and trying desperately to encourage his daughter to dance.

Leonardo tried to avoid looking in that general direction for fear his eyes would meet the girl who had given him all the trouble couple of days.

A servant, presumably of higher standing over the others, surprised Leonardo from behind.

"Signore Da Vinci? Thank you for bringing the portrait the master has requested. You're right on time for the ceremony." At this point he took the painting from Leonardo, with no protests coming from the artist. "Please stay and enjoy yourself."

"Ah, thank you but I really must be going…" Leonardo never planned to stay, and now with a snoozing Ezio awaiting him at home, he was eager to return and sketch. He turned to leave but the servant caught him by the shoulder, a firm grip clamping down on his clothing. A calm and gentle smile stared back at him.

"The master requests your presence. You will stay won't you?" Denying the request would do the same thing to Leonardo as if he had never finished the painting. His social standing could not be jeopardized.

"Ahaha…I suppose staying for a little while won't be too bad." The servant nodded, the eerie smile still plastered on his face.

Leonardo sighed and took to blending in with the back of the room, near the door. Hopefully after a while he could just slip out and no one would notice. But since he was here, and he hadn't eaten for a while, Leonardo didn't stop himself from sampling some of the tasty party treats.

It wasn't long before a booming voice called out. All the guests turned their attention to the front of the room, the banker beginning his speech.

"Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for joining us this evening for my darling Rebecca's 18th birthday." This was all Leonardo paid attention to. Afterword the banker's voice began to drown out and he went on and on, less about his daughter and more about himself. When he finally finished, the painting was revealed and the crowd gasped. A mix of Ooo's and Aaa's filled the air and applause broke out from somewhere, soon spreading across the entire room. Leonardo thought that with the distraction he could make his escape, yet the banker soon brought everyone's attention to artist of the portrait, currently trying to leave the party at the back of the hall. Leonardo managed to save himself in time, bowing to the crowd and trying to look humble. When the crowd finally turned away, Leonardo decided it was time for him to politely leave, no more sneaking around. Unfortunately, one person thought differently.

"Leonardo Da Vinci! Thank you for your work. I will send the payment your way tomorrow eh? But first my daughter has requested you dance with her. Come now don't be shy." The banker didn't give Leonardo the time to get a word in. He was being dragged to the other side of the room, where the dance floor, and that girl, was located. She was standing in front of her seat now, a stoic expression seemingly the only emotion she could express. Leonardo wanted to run but didn't dare. _Endure. Endure. Remember your social standing. _ When Leonardo was but a few feet from her, she bent low, pulling the edges of her dress with her and held out her hand. Leonardo regrettably took it and led her to the dance floor. He thought to himself that there was no hell worse than this.

Leonardo knew how to dance, so there was no trouble there. Yet his body wanted to reject holding this girls hand at all costs, yet he forced himself to go on. The music picked up and all the other couples left the dance floor, giving the spot light to Leonardo and the guest of honour_. Fantastico._ _Now everyone will be watching._ Leonardo had to put on a show, for his social standing of course.

"My name is Rebecca. It is a pleasure." Rebecca's head was pointed down as Leonardo swept her up in the dance. Her eyes wouldn't make contact with his and he was grateful for that. The crowd began its hushed whispers about the couple whirling around in front of them. He caught tidbits and nothing seemed harmful. But some of it was disturbing to think about for too long.

"Aren't they cute together?"

"What good dancers."

"I wish I had a man like that."

"She is of marrying age now…perhaps those too…"

_Enough! Don't listen to them Leonardo. Just finish the dance and you can go home. _Leonardo had been looking in just about every direction except at Rebecca and from a normal person's point of view, it would have appeared odd. Yet the crowd, drunk on the liquid the servants thrust into their hands and the euphoric atmosphere, disregarded his strange gestures and began milling about. Other couples slowly made their way onto the dance floor to join Leonardo and Rebecca. The inventor breathed a sigh of relief when he was no longer the main attraction.

"I do admire you work." Rebecca spoke up. It was quiet but he heard her clearly enough. Her voice, it was so, indescribable. It wasn't sensual or husky or gentle or anything. It resembled her expression, cold and stoic yet there was something else lingering underneath. Leonardo couldn't place it. He hated it when he couldn't understand something. And suddenly, the reason for his general hatred of this woman became clear. All of her aspects, everything about her was different and new and left Leonardo with the sense that he wasn't prepared, that he lacked any information about her. All the girls in Venezia had a pattern, a type. They were easily readable and he could all tell what they wanted and what they were thinking with one look. The few that he couldn't read he had become somewhat acquaintances with, Sister Teodora being one of his good friends. And yet this girl, he could grasp nothing from her. Not a single emotion creep past her except that cold stare with much more then he could ever fathom.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say." Leonardo wanted to be away from her. Far away, back in his workshop, where he understood things, where Ezio was, where he was comfortable and king.

The end of the song was nearing, he could feel it. Soon he could be rid of this impossible girl. However Fortune was not on Leonardo's side.

"I wish to admire your other works. I will come to your workshop tomorrow at noon. You have no choice but to obey my wishes if you do not wish for the city to turn on you again." Rebecca looked up at him for the first time during their dance and stared deep into his soul. She had read Leonardo like an open book, using her parental influence against him. He couldn't deny her. Flashing a fake smile he twirled her around and dipped her.

"It would be my pleasure, Rebecca." How he wished he could have dropped her to the stone cold floor.

After a cool night walk from that party back home, Leonardo was drained. He had originally wanted to come home and sketch the assassin asleep in his bed but that idea was soon dashed. Now it was late. Rebecca and her father had kept Leonardo at the party for much longer then he intended. It was almost midnight. Surely Ezio had woken up and left his house already, most likely back at the Palazzo Della Seta doing god knows whatever with anyone but him. He threw the ideas out of his head. Now was a time for calm thinking and sleep. He reminded himself of the event of the afternoon and he shivered from a wave of remembrance pleasure. Smiling to himself, he arrived home quickly, passing the bathroom where the intimate moment had occurred, and up the stairs he had carried Ezio's naked body.

Stripping off his formal attire and retrieving the dried out night gown Rosa had stolen the other day, Leonardo prepared for bed in the darkness, not bothering to light a candle. He knew his way around. The lump in his bed begged to differ when he sat upon it though.

"Mmhhh…just a little longer Leonardo…" Ezio had been roused awake, still mumbling thoughts from a lingering dream. Leonardo blushed furiously. How was it that Ezio had managed to sleep for so long? What he wouldn't find out until later was that Rosa had added a little something extra to that caffè from before. A little drowsy powder perhaps.

Leonardo stood up quickly, almost losing his balance. Now some light seemed like a good idea, so he quickly lit the candle on the bedside table and gently rocked Ezio awake.

"Come now. Is this any way for an assassin to behave? Sleeping all afternoon? Really now…" Leonardo chuckled to himself, noting how out of character it was for Ezio to act so defenceless. Then again, it might have been the fact that Leonardo rarely ever say the assassin still asleep while he was awake the rare few times Ezio had spent the night in his workshop.

Ezio awoke suddenly, recognizing the voice and seeing a flood of memories of before he passed out come rushing back into his skull.

"Scusi Leonardo. I-I have to go." As fast as he had woken up, Ezio bolted out of bed and went straight for the open window, driving down and safely landing in a cart of hay. After tumbling out, he sprinted off, lost to the darkness.

Leonardo was left alone again. All he could hope for was to crawl into his bed and feel the warmth that was still imprinted on the sheets from Ezio's body. Which he did. He wrapped himself up tight, trying to imagine that the heavy covering tight around him were Ezio's arms, holding him as he drifted off to sleep.

Leonardo awoke to the morning doves chirping on the window sill that was left open all night. Realising his mistake, he rose quickly; make a run around the workshop to check for stolen items. He did not need another training lesson from Rosa.

The clock tower began to gong. Eleven cries from an unseen bell and Leonardo began to get worried. Rebecca would be coming at noon and from her personality, Leonardo could only guess that she would have impeccable timing.

For the next hour, Leonardo changed, bathed, and cleaned. He didn't care for his soon to be guest but he still had his pride to keep a clean workshop. With the corpses stored away in the cold storage room and his previous art piece out for display, he was ready. When the clock tower struck the twelfth gong, exactly three knocks sounded out from behind the workshop door.

"On my way!" Leonardo called out. He gave himself a pep talk on the way there. _Alright now Leonardo, big smile, endure, friendly demeanour, endure and above all do not let her know you hate her._ _ Just show her what you've done, give her a sketch of some scenery and send her on her way. _

"Benvenuto Signorina Rebecca! Thank you for coming to my humble workshop." Leonardo forced so much energy into that greeting, trying to sound truly genuine, yet it fell on false ears as who he met at the door was not Rebecca but that creepy servant from the night before. His smile seemed to radiate calm and evil at the same time. Rebecca stepped out from behind him.

"Grazie Gino, you may wait outside." Gino bowed and turned to stand erect by the door, silent and still smiling.

Rebecca walked in, not saying a word to Leonardo. She took it upon herself to glide around the workshop, seemingly admiring the paintings Leonardo had set up for her. She would stare at each for a good 10 minutes, taking in everything it was. After the first half hour Leonardo asked if she wanted something to drink.

"No."

After the sixth painting, the clock tower gonged out one in the afternoon. Leonardo had taken a seat at his sketching table, watching her judge all his best work. He asked her what she thought of the one she was currently looking at.

"It's…interesting".

The pause unsettled him and made his fists shake momentarily with rage. He couldn't tell what she was thinking. Sure he could take criticism but since it rarely ever happened for someone not to praise his work it pissed him off that she could say something like that. It gave him no information. He was no closer to cracking the secret of Rebecca's mind.

"I will be leaving now." She turned to him and somehow brought the artists eyes to hers; her cold dark brown eyes. "Gino, please bring Leonardo his payment."

The servant appeared behind Leonardo, silently and smiling. "Right away miss." He handed Leonardo a heavy cream envelope. "The master was very please with your work, there may be more for you yet."

Rebecca was already at the door. "Come, Gino." She didn't turn to look back. The servant quickly turned to follow after and closed the door on his way out.

Leonardo winced at the loud bang as the door slammed shut. He sighed and looked at the envelope in his hand. Opening it and checking inside, he gasped, than a greedy smile spread across his face.

"I think I can afford to spoil myself today."

Ezio was back in the Palazzo Della Seta, in his own room, in a chair facing the wall. He had been sitting there for hours, possibly since he had come back after midnight. He had lost his concept of time in the process.

"Leonardo…" The name rolled off his lips. The assassin felt nothing but shame.

_How can I keep doing these things to Leonardo? I take everything he has to offer and more, and now I've even taken his body. What if he had a lover already? What has he even done to deserve all the suffering I push on him? I can't stand to hurt him anymore but I always keep coming back to him. And then the other day…the scene in the bathroom…I-I couldn't control myself. Part of me knew it was wrong but the other wouldn't let go. There was no doubt I would not have able to do that without whatever was in the caffè. Then when I wake up Leonardo had been kind enough to bring me to his own bed to rest. Why? Why do I keep taking from him…?_

"Leonardo…mi dispiace…I don't know what's come over me…"

With all the money he had been paid with from Rebecca's father, Leonardo decided it was time to go on a shopping spree. Of course he made sure to stop at the bank to put some away before he spent it all. After a quick stop at the teller, who was obviously flirting with him (which he ignored), he went to his favourite doctor who set up shop not far from his house.

"Good Morning Nicolo. Do we have anything fresh today?" He of course was talking about bodies.

"Ahh yes, I just got in a wonderful corpse, died of a terrible lung disease and coincidently swallowed a few interesting things as well. I myself was itching to cut this one up but I was saving it just for my favourite customer." Nicole lifted off his big beaked mask to give the artist a wink and talk face to face. He was a young man, intelligent for his age and certainly had been on Leonardo's radar at one point but unfortunately was already married. He wouldn't interfere with that.

"Ahahaha let me guess it's going to cost me right?" Leonardo knew how to play Nicolo's game. He had been shopping here for years.

"You got it!" He gave Leonardo a wink and his heart fluttered a little when he thought how sexy it would be if Ezio did the same. "But for a limited time only I will give you the special discount. 1000 florins, only for you mio amico. What do you say?" Nicolo always gave him the 'special discount' every time he came. He never changed Leonardo too much and he was always happy with the service. 1000 florins was easy with his recently gained pay from the backer.

"Not a problem Nicolo, I'll take it!" Leonardo was excited, it had been a while since he had a nice fresh body to cut open and poke around in. "Oh and has my new dissection set come in yet?" Leonardo had ordered a new kit after hearing about it from Nicolo 'cut up tales' as he called them. He had been anxiously waiting for about a week. With his new set and a fresh new corpse, he was going to have a grand old time.

"That's great Nicolo! Can you put the body in storage for me? I've got a few more errands to run and then I will be back to pick him up." There was a few more places Leonardo wanted to visit before he went back home for the day. He paid Nicolo and took his leave.

"Not problem Leonardo. Come back soon." He waved good bye, placing the mask back over his face and reassuming his silent and scary appearance.

A little farther from Nicolo's stand was the tailor. Summer was coming quickly and this usual long sleeve outfit was beginning to get hot and bothersome. Since he was already treating himself with a dead body, why not a new summer outfit?

He commissioned a shorter sleeved top made from a thinner material that would breathe better in the warmer months. This same material would be used to make the pants. Of course he needed a matching cap to go with it all so he added it onto the list. His measurements were taken and a color scheme was picked out.

"Come back in a few days." Leonardo was waved off, though he didn't mind. He still had more to do.

After a trip to the market for some groceries, a stop at the book shop to check out the latest manuscripts and a leisurely stroll around the area, Leonardo made his way back to Nicolo's stand, picking up his dissection kit and body. With all he was carrying, a normal man would have buckled from the sheer weight, but Leonardo was used to carrying heavy lifeless sacks of flesh so a few added bags of produce wouldn't hurt the load.

Back in the workshop, Leonardo put away his purchases and set out to begin on the body right away. The sooner he cut it open the better the chance that the juices were still fresh inside. He might even need a mask for this one. His heart beat with all the excitement of what he would soon be able to discover.

Ezio, still sulking in his room, had turned away from the wall and now faced the wide open balcony, watching over the city from his chair. He had cheered himself up a little with the change in scenery, but he still felt terrible about the situation with Leonardo.

"I must make it up to him somehow…"

* * *

Again, I am deeply sorry for the wait. I'm planning something juicy for the next chapter (and I'm not talking about the corpse), but long reviews make it go from juicy to lemony. In other words, long reviews make certain inventors and assassin's strip. - Author


	7. Chapter 7

No excuses. I noticed that even though I've neglected this story for months, people still favourite or watch. It boggles me and has given me the drive to start writing once again. Since Christmas break is upon me and finals are finishing I have more time to write instead of study. –Author

Chapter 7

"Ah-ha, the first cut! This is so exciting!" Leonardo was beside himself with glee. A fresh new body, a new dissection kit and to top it all off the disease the poor fellow had succumbed to was unheard of. Discovery always made Leonardo giddy, in a sense. After the event of the early afternoon, and the night before, this was exactly what Leonardo needed to get him back on his intellectual game. Not to mention that discovering a new disease and a possible cure would help mankind, boost his reputation etc etc.

With his mind completely focused on the one hundred and fifty pound lump of dead cells and bodily fluids, it never once crossed Leonardo's mind as to what became of Ezio the night before. It didn't matter to him at the moment, as opportunity was knocking at Leonardo's mental door.

Ezio hadn't left his room all day. He couldn't bring himself to do anything other than sulk around in his own self pity. He hadn't meant to do any of the things he accused himself of towards Leonardo. His conscience was beginning to weigh down on him like never before. To him, it seemed like a sort of irony. Killing hundreds of innocent men (and guilty ones) to accomplish his mission never fazed him before. But a simple tug on his heart string sent him reeling into a guilt ridded spiral of depression. For an assassin of his caliber, it was pathetic.

"I cannot sit around like this forever...it is making me miserable..." Finding some strength, he got up and changed into fresh clothing. As he went to discard the soiled shirt and breeches, he realised that they were not since own.

"_Cazzo! I can't stop taking from him! What is wrong with me?" _The rage began to bubble up inside Ezio but he calmed himself and went to fetch some water instead. He had to wash Leonardo's clothes before bringing them back to the inventor.

It was the first time Ezio had done laundry. Usually the whole 'assassin' thing kept him on the run for days at a time with no rest. Which meant bathing wasn't always an option. When his stink began to attract guards and repel women, he knew it was time to get cleaned off. At which point he would just jump in a river and swim around. Free running around the roofs of the cities would dry him soon enough afterword. When he was at home, he had his sister and his mother, who seemed to do housework (including laundry) in their sleep (at least, Ezio never saw them do it, but the house was always spotless and he always had clean clothing to wear.).

After struggling to figure out the initial method of scrubbing the sweat out with his hands, and a good half hour later, Leonardo's clothes no longer smelled of sweat and sex. The only matter left was to let them dry in the afternoon sun and cool summer breeze.

After an hour, Leonardo had successfully cut open his body, isolated the bacteria in the lungs and sealed it away in a jar for further study. With the man interest of the body gone, Leonardo had then proceeded to check out the 'interesting things' the man had swallowed that Nicolo had mentioned. He was right, there were some interesting things in the man's stomach. A chess piece for one.

After which is was only a matter of checking if the lung disease had caused any other visible signs of destruction, which it hadn't, then closing the body up and then waiting for a body pick up the next day. It was a job well done. Once the area had been sterilized and properly cleaned, Leonardo took off his mask and wiped away the sweat on his brow. His heart was still beating fast.

And it soon the pace speed up, as Leonardo remembered the dirty secret he had hidden away in his room. Ascending the staircase, Leonardo creep into his bedroom, keeping a watchful eye on the non-existent nosey neighbours. Hung up over a chair were the clothes Ezio had left behind from the night before. Unwashed, they reeked of his scent, a smell Leonardo had come to enjoy far too much. He gently picked up the tunic and breathed deeply. This was the smell of Ezio, one that Leonardo would never tire of. It smelled of passion, strength, determination, all of the things Ezio had. It even smelled sexy, if that was even possible. Leonardo felt the smallest tinged of shame when he realised how turned on his was.

Another deep inhale and Leonardo almost couldn't take it anymore. The erotic scent drove him wild in his current state and all of the memories of their sexual encounter in the bathroom had made the feeling welling up inside him unbearable. He dashed to the window and locked it, closing the curtains as he did. The door to the room was also tightly bared. No one would witness his next shameful action.

With no chance of a possible surprise witness, Leonardo striped himself quickly and soaked in Ezio's smell. He caressed his body with the trousers and imagined that the silk fabric was brushing up against his naked body, not because of his own doing but because Ezio was touching him with his soft, gentle hands.

Leonardo's member was burning red, so filled with blood it stood erect and fully hardened. Longing for a quick release, Leonardo knew better and slowly pumped himself with Ezio's shirt. The sensation drove him wild and he fought with his body not to move faster, but to savour every second of this exotic ecstasy. His tip was leaking precum thought the silk top and though it hadn't already been long, Leonardo's mind was more powerful than his matter. The detailed images rushing thought his head sent him into a frenzy of moans and grunts. He could no longer stand.

"Ahh...hn...gh...E-...Ezio..." The name came out slowly but seemed sudden. It didn't surprise Leonardo; he knew his feelings for the assassin from the start. The strange mix of lust, desire, and love powered Leonardo through tougher days.

"Ohh Ezio..._cazzo_...fuck me...Ahhhh!" With a final yell of pure rapture, Leonardo came into the smooth fabric of Ezio's hand. The shirt, now more soiled than to begin with, contained Leonardo's essence and love for the assassin he desired more than anything in the world. Leaving the dirtied garment alone would make it harder to clean. He basked in his afterglow for a small while longer, then dressed himself and proceeded to clean all of Ezio's clothing. He knew that Ezio would come to pick them up eventually and they were going to be nice and clean when he got them back.

Doing some laundry had somehow brightened Ezio's spirits. Pretending to be a normal citizen in the city of Venezia was something he only got to do when he was blending in to throw off the men chasing him. It was a nice feeling, rustic and long forgotten. The cooling breeze tickled his nose and he sneezed. Recovering he thought to himself aloud.

"I cannot allow this whole thing with Leonardo keep me unfocused. I will repay him for everything he has done for me. But...I don't think I can do this alone." Ezio was right about that. When it came to love between men and women, Ezio was a master. But showing gratitude to a man like Leonardo was completely different. A quick embrace and a pat on the back wouldn't cut it. He needed help. And he knew just the person capable of understanding his needs.

Sister Teodora found that men were more open to religious change when it was presented in a different matter. That being a strange form of sacrilegious prostitution. Although the methods were different, the church Sister Teodora ran couldn't simply be called a brothel. Ezio knew she would be wise in the methods of pleasing men and even though he didn't plan to please Leonardo in the same way, she was sure to be helpful.

Sprinting along the rooftops with the near setting sun guiding him, he headed towards the Dorsodoro district.

At this time of the day, shops began closing up, but the city didn't shut down with the merchant's schedule. The night life was only just beginning and Venezia's residents were filing out into the streets to celebrate a long day's work with dancing, alcohol, and prostitutes. La Rosa Della Virtù was particularly busy tonight.

Pushing his way through the crowd of horny and quite possibly sexually deprived men, Ezio went in search for Teodora.

As the leader of the courtesans, she wasn't always involved with the main activity on the bottom floor. Many a time she would just observe from the inside balcony that circled around the main room where her girls entertained the guests. Of course, the purpose of Teodora's 'business' was not to charm and massage men to a happy ending but to convert them to a different faith. Anything else was just a favourable product of the initial plan. When Teodora wasn't keeping an eye out for her girls, she was in the back room, attending to men of higher social standing, men who needed a special treatment.

However when Ezio found Teodora, she was indeed watching the scene from above, but not her own girls. Recently there had been a large amount of women coming to La Rosa Della Virtù, but they were not seeking guidance from other women. Teodora had previously hired a very feminine male to work for her, but upon realising his true gender, couldn't bring herself to fire him. Instead she discovered that she was above to reach the other 50% of the population of Venezia through gorgeous men. It was working wonderfully.

"I see you have some new people in your employ Sister."

"Ezio! What a surprise, so good to see you." She smirked to herself about this. As an assassin herself she had the skills to detect matters in other people, especially men. Ezio was wearing normal clothing, something that never happened. Thinking back to her breakfast with Leonardo a few days ago, she concluded that the assassin was here because of him.

"Si Sigorina, it is always a pleasure." Ezio's natural charm around the women immediately took over, as he grasped her delicate hand and placed a gentle kiss upon it. "I have missed seeing your radiant beauty."

'_Don't say things like that assassino, you'll make someone jealous.'_ "Grazie Ezio. Please, sit with me." The upstairs balcony was a restricted area for customers and not many, save for Teodora, were allowed to roam there anyway, but it was well furnished enough for more than just one person. The two took a seat on a plush love seat overlooking the newer section of the building, where the men met the women's needs.

"I know why your here Ezio. You need help with Leonardo." The statement surprised Ezio but he didn't show it.

"You are right. Leonardo has been an important asset in all my missions and my goal. He never fails to deliver, as an inventor and as a good friend. I feel that it would not be right for me not to repay him somehow."

"Ah yes that is quite the predicament. I think I may be able to help you Ezio." Gesturing to the main floor, Ezio's attention is drawn to a younger man escorting a group of young ladies.

"You already possess great skill when it comes to women, much like all the men in my employ. But what you lack is the skill to please men. Why don't you watch some of my girls work for a while? You may pick up something useful that can help you with your problem." Getting up, she turned and spoke with her back to Ezio. "If you are still conflicted, I'm sure you will find a solution but simply confronting the problem directly." With that she left Ezio to his business.

"Confront the problem directly..." If was an idea but Ezio could not waste the opportunity Sister Teodora had given him. He switched seats to overlook the female courtesans working their magic on the males. His eyes rested on a younger looking girl, blond and quite pretty.

"Oh Signore Angelo, your muscles have gotten so big since you last came." She spoke to a pompous old man who looked like he hadn't tried to tone his body for a decade. His laughter boomed out like the loudest of cannons.

"AHAHAH! Now that you mention it, I have been picking up extra shifts at the dock." Clearly to pay for all of the trips to La Rosa Della Virtù. It didn't seem like watching them would be too helpful. He switched to another couple and regretted it instantly as he noticed that a curtain had been drawn for privacy. No one else may have been able to see what occurred next but Ezio's top down view permitted him to observe, even if he didn't chose to. Ezio seemed to lack the parts to perform those actions towards Leonardo (in his mind at least).

Other than that one scarring memory, it didn't seem like any of the other courtesans were doing anything other than making false compliments to please the guests. Ezio wasn't simply going to lie to Leonardo to make him feel good about himself. It would sound ridiculous and it was no way to repay a great inventor and friend.

It was unfortunate but nothing Ezio was seeing was helping him. Almost everything was a combination of blatant lies and sexual deeds.

Ezio was still conflicted. He would have to deal with his problem directly.

* * *

Well I managed to get some sex in there but I'm still building up to important events. I've been craving good, nice long reviews for this story for a while so please give me my Christmas wish. - Author


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